Folding bookcase.



No. 645,549. Patented Mar. 20, I900. M. P. CARICO.

FOLDING BOOKCASE.

(Application filed Aug. 2, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 SI'IBMSPSIIBM 2,

Nrrnn STATES FATENfnFrrcn.

MARTIN P. OARICO, OF URSUS, VIRGINIA FOLDING BOOKCASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,549, dated March 20, 1900;

Application filed August 2, 1 8 9 9.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MARTIN P. OARIoo, a citizen of the United States, residing at Urs us, in the county of Grayson and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Folding Bookcase, of which the following is a specification.

This invention-relates to collapsible or folding furniture in general, and more particularly to folding bookcases; and it has for its object to provide an article of furniture of this nature in which the several members may be disconnected and in which the elements of certain of such members may be folded to lie in mutualengagement, and thus to enable the alteration of the structure to permit it being packed for storage or for shipment in a small space.

The invention consists of a base portion comprising sides and ends removably connected and in a plurality of similar sections adapted to be placed one upon another, the walls of said sections being collapsible and the entire structure having ornamental moldings which may be caused to lie fiat when the article is folded.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective viewshowinga complete bookcase embodying the invention, certain of the doors thereof being shown as open. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the removable sections of the case. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of Fig. 2, taken on the line 3 3. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of one of the doors. Fig.5 is a perspective View of a corner ofthe top of the case and showing the method of locking moldings in their upright positions. Fig. 6 is a detail View, partially in section and partially in elevation and showing the method of connecting the sides and ends of the base. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of'one of the sections of the case with the elements thereof folded.

Referring now to the drawings, in constructing a bookcase involving this invention there is formed a base coinprisin g sides 5 and end pieces 6, of which the end pieces are fixed to corner-blocks 7, said blocks having in their faces recesses 8, in which are seated plates 9, having keyhole-slots therein for the reception Serial No. 725,895. No model.)

of interlocking keys 10, carried by the side pieces or rails of the base after the usual construction of locking mechanism employed for fastening the side rails of bedsteads to the head and foot boards. When assembled, the upper edges of the sides and ends lie flush with the upper ends of the corner-blocks, and these flush portions carry upwardly-extending dowel-pins 11, which are adapted to enter similar perforations in a board 12, which forms the lowermost shelf and through the medium of which'pins said board is removably connected.

The board 12 supports a section of the bookcase comprising end pieces 13 of any desired exterior construction, and which end pieces are. hinged to the upper face of the board. Intermediate the end pieces 13 is hinged to the board a third and similar piece 14, resulting in the formation of two compartments when said pieces 13 and 14 are in their upright positions.

In the adjacent faces of the pieces 13 and 14 and just within the'rear edges thereof are formed vertical grooves 16, extending upwardly and throughout the heights of the pieces. These grooves 16 are parallel and are adapted to slidably receive sections 17, of wood or other suitable material, the upper edges of which lie flush with the edges of the pieces 13 and 14 and with which pieces they are thus slidably connected.

Intersecting the grooves 16 and extending forwardly of and parallel with the upper edges of the pieces 13 and 1 1 are additional grooves 18, which terminate in the rear of the front edges of said pieces. Disposed intermediate the end piece 13 and the intermediate piece 14 are swinging and slidable doors 19, each of which consists of a frame provided with a preferably transparent fillingand having adjacent one end of each of its end pieces coaxial trunnions 20, which are adapted to enter the grooves 18 and to have both an oscillatory and a slidable movement therein. Thus when desired the lower edge of the door, which is that edge farthest from the frames, may be swung outwardly for access to the compartment of that door and after being brought to a horizontal position may be pushed rearwardly and into the inclosure of its compartment, during which operation the trunnions will travel down the grooves or rearwardly of the grooves 18. In order to prevent the inward swinging of the doors, pins 21 are inserted in the inner faces of the end pieces and in opposite faces of the intermediate piece 14 in such positions as to be engaged by the doors when the latter are in vertical positions to close their respective compartments and to support the outer ends of the doors when their rear or upper ends or edges have been pushed into the compartments.

The end pieces 13, as also the intermediate piece 14, are provided with dowel-pins 22, which are adapted to entercorrespondin g perforations in the corresponding board forming the shelf next above, as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings. Thus it will be seen that a number of similar sections may be formed and disposed one upon another to form a case of any desired height, said sections being similar in every respect with the exception of the lowermost and uppermost sections of which the lowermost section has perforations to receive dowel-pins in the side pieces, while the uppermost section is provided with ornamental moldings.

The ornamental moldings of the uppermost section of the bookcase comprise a front molding 25 and end moldings 26,which are hingedly connected to a top board 27, secured to the uppermost section through the medium of dowels,the same as those heretofore described, so that, in fact, the uppermost section is,with the exception of its ornamental attachment, the same as those below it. These moldings 25 and 26 are hinged to the upper surface of the board 27 and have their ends separated by interspaces adapted to receive corner-blocks 28. The adjacent ends of the moldings have their upper corners cut away at such angles as to permit the folding of the moldings upon the top board and the mutual engagement of the edges of the cut-away portions. The ends of the moldings below the cut-away portions are provided with beads 29, adapted to engage corresponding grooves in the blocks 28. Thus when the moldings are in an upright position the corner-blocks may be adjusted to engage their extremities, and consequently to hold them in this position. To prevent lateral displacement of the blocks 28, they are provided with dowel-pins 30, adapted to enter perforations 31 in the corners of the top board.

When it is desired to fold the bookcase, the separate sections above described are disconnected, after which the elements of the base are dissembled and may be placed in a compact position. The door of each compartment is then swung outwardly and upwardly into a vertical position, and by then moving one end thereof laterally the connected end piece will be sprung sufliciently to permit the passage of the trunnions from the grooves 18. The end pieces and intermediate pieces 13 and 14 have the backs 17 drawn therefrom and are then folded to lie upon the base-board or shelf 12, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The backs 17 are then placed upon the pieces just folded and the doors placed upon the backs. The remaining sections are similarly folded, the blocks 28 are removed from the moldings, and the latter are folded to lie upon the top board, and the elements of the different sections having been packed individually with respect to their sections the packed sections may be then assembled to form a single bundle containing the entire case.

The setting up of the case is of course the reverse of the operation just described and which will be fully understood.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the bookcase involves many points of merit and utility and that it may be quickly set up and taken down, and it will of course be understood that in practice any desired number of sections may be employed and that the material and sizes of the elements, as also their ornamentation, may be varied as desired; also, that the several compartments may be provided or equipped with various divisions and that the different sections need not necessarily have equal heights.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. A folding case comprising a base, a top, moldings hinged to the top, and corner-blocks removably connected with the top and having slots in which the adjacent ends of said molding are removably seated.

2. A folding case, comprising a base, a top, perforations in the top, moldings hinged to the top and having cut-away portions Whereby they may lie upon the top and in a common plane, beads upon the ends of the moldings, and corner-blocks having slots adapted to receive said beads and having each a pin adapted to enter a perforation in the top.

3. A folding case comprisinga base, a plurality of sections removably connected with the base and with each other, a top adapted for connection with each of the sections, moldings hinged to the top, and corner-blocks removably connected with the top and having slots in which the adjacent ends of said mold ings are removably seated.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN P. CARIGO.

Witnesses:

J. O. PADGETT, J C. BUsIo. 

